One of my hobbies is walking battlefields and that will probably be the major source of posts. Plus I will post about other things that spark my interest, from oddities found while researching to observations on the war.

Wednesday, February 27, 2008

Shiloh & Corinth: Sentinels of Stone

An interesting coincidence happened the other day (actually about a month ago, time sure does fly by). I poking around for Shiloh books many months ago I saw that a new book on Shiloh was coming out, Shiloh & Corinth: Sentinels of Stone by Timothy Isbell. I've been burned in the past by buying books sight unseen just because it was on Shiloh. There is some horrible stuff out there. So I requested the book through inter library loan. It came in just as I made the move into my new house. It just so happens that the very day the book arrived a received an email from Timothy Isbell wishing me luck on the move and saying that he reads my blog. A very strange coincidence but something that was pretty cool too.

Anyway, this is a great book. The pictures are amazing but its more than just a picture book as there is quite a bit of text accompanying each picture. This was a nice way to relax after a day of painting and unpacking. This is definitely a book I want to add to my collection (I probably shouldn't announce that here as Jess is sure to ask me where I intend to find a place for another book). I will soon order the Shiloh book and his volume on Vicksburg (he's also done Gettysburg but I need to watch the shelving space somehow). I was excited to learn that a volume on Chickamauga is in the works.

Some of his photos are available online at http://www.timisbell.com./ He definitely has a talent for getting the perfect shot. I have included a picture from his website of the Water Oak Pond at Shiloh so you can see a sample of the great shots he gets. Some of his other work, including a series on the Vietnamese people of the Mississippi Gulf Coast, Hurricane Katrina damage in the Biloxi area and some scenes from the career of Brett Favre, are also available on his site.

About Me

I am a Civil War nut. I graduated from the University of Colorado-Denver in 2001 with a BA in History. I'm always searching for more knowledge. I buy a ton of books, though space constraints have limited me of late, and I also download a ton of books. I'm always planning battlefield treks as I think these are important to really understanding a battle. Reading only does so much, walking the fields fills in the rest. And when I'm on a battlefield I really walk it. I like to go someplace and take a week to walk everything, get a feel for everything, and take a ton of pictures.